Automatic switch for railways



' (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A KLAWON AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR RAILWAYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. KLAWON. AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 547,080. P 1,1895.

ANDREW B GRAr 1AM PHOTO-LIYHOVWASHINGYON 0C iJNi'rs drains AUGUSTKLAWON, OF

PATENT tries.

JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATiC SWITCH FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,080, dated October1, 1895.

Application fileti March 19, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST KLAWON, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railroad-switches and mechanism forautomatically setting, locking, and releasing the same, and aims toprovide simple and efficient means for releasing and setting a switchfrom an engine in approaching from either direction. The inventionconsists of a peculiarly-constructed trip mechanism mounted on alocomotive or engine, and the mechanism under the control of theengineer for shifting the same to strike an arm on either side of thetrack and move the switch in the required position or to an intermediateposition to pass by both arms when it is not necessary to set or operatethe said switch.

The invention also consists of a switch-0perating mechanism mounted on aroad-bed and connections between the said mechanism and movable arms ata proper distance therefrom and along the track.

The invention further consists of the novel features and peculiarconstruction and combination of the parts, which will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexeddrawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch at ajunction of the branch-line with the main stem. Fig. 2 is a detail viewof the switchlocking mechanism on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a detailview showing the lock operating and releasing bar. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation showing the manner of operating the switch from the engineerscab. Fig. 5 is a front view of the switch-operating mechanism and theswitch-controlling devices and connections. Fig. 6 is a modification ofthe switch-locking mechanism and the device for releasing the same. Fig.7 is an elevation of the means shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail viewshow- Serial No. 504,302. (No model.)

ing the relative position of the spring for holding the locking-lever inengagement at its free end with the notched projection on thebase-plate. Fig. 9 is a plan view with the floor of the car removed,showing the operating-levers for throwing in and out of gear theswitch-operating device.

Similar letters refer to corresponding parts in the several views of thedrawings.

A A represent the drive-wheels of any locomotive; B, a section of theengineers cab; C, an operating-lever with the usual hand-latch, and D arod or bar connecting the levers O and E, and having a swivel connectionat D with the forwardly-extending member of the bell-crank lever E,pivoted at E. The horizontal shaft F is mounted in hangers 2, havingelongated vertical slots 2 therein, and has wheels F F at its respectiveends to engage with the trip-levers and release and properly set theswitch. Bearings E in which the shaft F is journaled, are yieldinglymounted in the said hangers 2 and hold the said shaft in operativeposition. An arm E projects vertically from the shaft F and engages withthe forwardly-extending arm of the lever E.

G and G, H and H are the trip-levers that are operated by the wheels Fand F These levers are pivoted at G G H and H respectively, and work inbearings spiked to the ties and are kept from sidewise motion by a pinor arm I fastened rigidly thereto and working perpendicularly in asleeve I fastened to a cross-tie. The lever or connecting bar J ispivoted at one end to the trip-lever G at J and at the other end to thelever K at K, which latter in turn is rigidly fastened to the shaft orrod L. M is a link or arm at the other or outer end of the shaft or rodL and fastened rigidly thereto. The upper end of the link or arm M ispivoted to the connectingbar N at M, said bar N in turn being pivoted tothe lever O at N. The lever O is bent at its inner end, which bent endpasses down through a bearing 0, which latter is rigidly fastened to thedouble lever P at 0 At the ends of the double lever P, at P and P areattached one end of the wires Q and Q, which latter extend to and arefastened at the opposite end to the lever B at B The lever B is T-shapedand is pivoted at R to the block or bearing S spiked to the ties. Thestem of the lever R is pivoted to the connecting-lever T, which in turnis pivoted to the sliding plate U. The plate U lies underneath the railswith the plate or bar V on the top in such a position that its ends bearagainst the inner surfaces of the switch-rails, so that when the ar V ismoved either way the switch-rails must move with it. Fastened rigidly tothe plate U are the pins or rivets U U which work loosely in slots r inthe bar V and are headed at the upper end to prevent the bar V fromlifting up from the plate U. These rivets and slots are to allow theplate U to move a portion of its travel before operating the rails inorder to unlock the switch, which is as follows: On the sliding plate Uand fastened rigidly to it is a lug or cam U with its ends tapering inopposite directions. This lug or double-inclined cam rests against theunder side of the switch-locking lever \V, pivoted at one end to thefixed base-plate or bearing X at TV, while at the other end it dropsinto a notch in the raised portion V, which is rigidly fastened to orforms a part of the base-plate X. On the plate V and rigidly fastened toor forming a part thereof is a raised portion X with notches V and Vlocated a distance apart corresponding to the amount of throw of theswitch-rails and the movement of the plate U.

The complete operation is described thus: The engineer, coming from thedirection indicated by the arrow Y, finds the switch closed, so that theengine would continue on the main line Z, but wishing to go on to sidingY he forces the lever 0 down to its lowest position, as shown in Fig. 4,and this motion, through the connecting rod or lever D, the bell-leverE, and the rod or pin E throws or moves the shaft F and wheels F and Fwhich are fastened to and revolve upon the shaft F, over to the positionshown in Fig. 5, which would bring the trip-wheel 1 over the line of thetrip-lever G, so that as the engine moves forward the trip-wheel F comesin contact with the trip-lever G, while the wheel F entirely clears thelever G. The wheel F, as it continues to move forward, depresses thelever G until it reaches its lowest position I. This depression of thetrip-lever G imparts aturning movement to the rod or shaft L, throughthe lever-arms J and K, which is transmitted to the lever-arm N andthrough the connecting-leverN to thelever O and through it to the leverP. This pulls on the connecting-wire Q, which being fastened to thelever B operates it and through the connecting-lever T moves the plate Ualong in the direction of the arrow. The bar V, being held on the plateU in the manner set forth, allows the plate U to be moved a sufficientdistance before the bar V begins to move. This allows the lug or cam Uto raise the locking-lever W before the switchrails are moved by the barV.

The locking-lever is held down by a strong springf under its pivot. Thisraising of the lever \V disengages it from the notch in the lug V", thusforming a guide or way for it, while it also disengages it (the lever W)from the notch V in the lug X on the bar V, thus leaving the bar w freeto be moved to the proper position to allow the engine to run on thesiding. \Vhen the rails have been moved as described, the lever \V dropsinto the notch 12 thus preventing any displacement of the switch-rails.

The above description applies to any set of trip-lever and connections,all being constructed alike.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modification in which the sliding plate U is thesame as in the other figures, except that the cam-lug U is on the side,as shown, instead of on top. The bar V is the same. The locking-bar 2,instead of being pivoted,'slides in the bearings 3 and =1, the lockinglover or bar being forced to its extreme position by the coil-spring 5,which is in the bearing 3 and presses against the end of the locking-bar2. On the under side of the locking-bar 2 is a recess 7, which, when inthe proper position, will allow the raised portion 1) to slide through.

It will be understood that in setting up the invention for practicaloperation that the various levers will be suitably housed to protectthem from the weather and lodgment of foreign matter in the workingparts. The connecting rods or cables Q Q will be inclosed insuitably-disposed tubes or casings to prevent tampering therewith andthe banking of the earth thereon, which would prevent the free operationof the system.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In aswitch, the combination of a switch and actuating mechanism therefor, across bar having a cam, aswitch bar having a limited movement on thecross bar, and provided with a vertical extension having notches, and aswitch locking bar operated by the said cam to release the switch,substantially as set forth.

2. In devices for operating track switches, the combination with alocomotive, of a transverse bar flexibly supported in brackets on saidlocomotive having wheels at its outer ends adapted to engage the pivotedarms of a track switch, a vertical arm attached to said transverse barengaged by one arm of an angle lever fulcrumed in the locomotive, theother arm of said angle lever being pivoted to the end of a lever Dconnected to the operating lever of the device, whereby upon the depression or elevation of said operating lever the said transverse lever isthrown from one side to the other, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a device for operating track switches, the combination with alocomotive, of a transverse bar mounted therein, having wheels at itsouter end adapted to engage the pivoted arms of a track switch, bracketssupporting In testimony whereof I have signed this the said bar havingelongated vertical slots, specification in the presence of two subscrib-:0 arms supported in said brackets to form bearing witnesses.

ings for the said bar, springs mounted on said arms to actuate the sameto hold the said AUGUST KLAW bar at the limit of its downward movement,\Vitnesses:

and means for moving the said bar laterally, BUD VORTH,

substantially as and for the purpose described. FRANZ GRENZ.

